2026 World Rally Championship schedule

Like in 2025, the World Rally Championship will span 14 rounds in 2026. However, there are some dates shuffled and the return of one in place of another.

The biggest change is the return of the Croatia Rally, which was removed from the 2025 calendar after its four-year contract expired. With help from the local government, a new three-year deal was forged starting in 2026. The race will also be on the European Rally Championship.

“We are pleased with the announced 2026 WRC calendar and the fact that Croatia has retained its now ‘traditional’ April date,” Croatia Rally organizer Daniel Šaškin commented. “We thank everyone who helped bring the WRC back to Croatia. This is a strong confirmation that both the organiser and the FIA recognise the high level of organisztion we offer, as well as the added value that Croatia Rally brings to the championship.

“Of course, we are now fully focused on the European Championship, which awaits us this autumn in Croatia. I believe that the rally in October will deliver just as much, if not more adrenaline to our spectators, as the biggest and most respected names in European rallying are coming to Zagreb and the surrounding counties.”

Conversely, the Central European Rally has been dropped. A joint even between Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic, the race has been on the WRC slate since 2023. Race organizer CER GmbH attributed the removal to “economic framework conditions” which “prevented an extension of the existing agreement with the world championship promoter.”

However, the group also stressed it and WRC Promoter are “involved in constructive dialogue to investigate future opportunities for hosting top-level rally sport, while considering titles for a potential event in the coming years in the border region shared by the three countries.”

The other major adjustment from 2025 is moving Rally Japan from its November slot to May. It became the season finale upon returning to the WRC in 2022, though was shuffled to the penultimate round with the introduction of Rally Saudi Arabia. Although long held in the fall, the tarmac-based event was moved to the spring to break up a string of gravel rallies.

“This is a calendar built with purpose,” WRC Promoter managing director Jona Siebel stated. “It’s diverse, it flows well, and it reflects the feedback we’ve had from teams, drivers and stakeholders. We’ve put real thought into how the sequence of events can impact the sporting fight.”

The FIA World Motor Sport Council approved the schedule on Thursday.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem described the calendar as a powerful reflection of the championship’s global strength and appeal. It combines the heritage of iconic rallies with the return of newer events in regions where participation and interest in rallying continues to grow.”